AFP, COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is in talks to hire former Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha to groom its national team for the 2019 cricket World Cup, sources said Wednesday.

The 49-year-old Sri Lankan stepped down from the Bangladesh team earlier this month after a disastrous tour of South Africa. Since then there has been speculation he is to take the job of head coach at Sri Lanka Cricket which has been vacant since South African Graham Ford quit in June.

Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara declined to comment on the talks but said he hoped the former Test player would take on the job.

“I (would) certainly welcome Hathurusingha to prepare our team for the next World Cup,” Jayasekara told reporters in Colombo.

“But I don't want to say anything about the discussions that are taking place.”